Best Creamy Pumpkin Polenta Recipes

CREAMY PUMPKIN POLENTA

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil., Reduce heat to a gentle boil; slowly whisk in cornmeal and nutmeg. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon for 15-20 minutes or until polenta is thickened and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan. Stir in pumpkin and cream cheese until smooth. Sprinkle each serving with pumpkin seeds if desired.

CREAMY OVEN-BAKED POLENTA WITH PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
• Combine water, milk, cornmeal, and salt in the prepared baking dish; mix well. It's normal for the mixture to separate a bit.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and stir in pumpkin, Jarlsberg, 1/2 of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, sour cream, nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and top with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano. Turn on the broiler.
• Broil until top is brown and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CREAMY PUMPKIN POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring water or stock and salt to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.
• Stir in pumpkin.
• SLOWLY pour in corn meal while continuously stirring.
• An easy way of doing this is to pick up handfuls of cornmeal and let it run through your fingers in a very SLOW stream. NEVER STOP STIRRING.
• If mixture gets too thick and impossible to stir, add more boiling liquid.
• Once cornmeal has been added, stir in the small pieces of cream cheese (a little at a time) until cheese is completely melted and incorporated into the mixture.
• Continue cooking and stirring for about twenty minutes.
• If you don't cook the polenta long enough, you won't achieve the proper creamy consistency.
• Continue to add additional liquid as necessary.
• The proper consistency should be that of a thick Cream Of Wheat Cereal.
• Your spoon should be able to stand straight up when stuck in the middle and the mixture should pull away from the sides of the pot.
• Serve with pat of butter and enjoy!

SAGE AND BALSAMIC PORK CHOPS WITH CREAMY PUMPKIN POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Preheat a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan). In a shallow dish, combine the balsamic, sage, parsley, garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon of EVOO, salt, and pepper. Coat the pork chops and then place them in the skillet and sear the meat on both sides to caramelize, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the skillet to the oven to finish off, about 8 minutes, or until the meat is firm to the touch but not tough.
• While the chops are cooking, in a sauce pot combine the chicken stock, milk, and pumpkin and season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Place over high heat and bring up to a simmer. Whisk in the polenta and stir until it begins to mass together. Add the grated cheese and butter, stirring to combine. Keep in mind that polenta is very forgiving. If it becomes too thick, not smooth and creamy, you can always add more warm chicken stock or milk.
• Serve the polenta alongside the sage and balsamic pork chops with steamed vegetables. Garnish the polenta with a little extra grated or shaved cheese.